


Timetravel

by purplefox



Series: KakaNaru week 2016 [7]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 03:19:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8187596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplefox/pseuds/purplefox
Summary: There are many reasons to mess with time





	

Their world had ended up being a right mess. That they had lost so many people, that they had witnessed so many horrible things… that they had the will to keep fighting on, still walk on… that it had come down to this horrible plan.

They might have been infected by Naruto’s determination to never give up but this plan took it to another level, it reeked on being a sore loser and even though if it worked Kakashi had no real problem with that… he still did not like it that much.

At all… it just was not right, not fair. When he had resolved himself to be surpassed and remained behind while his students and the next generation picked up the slack he had never envisioned this. Now that he knew about it he still did not want it.

But they had no choice that was the horrible thing. There were literally not other options, they had exhausted them all and even if they won at this point they had simply lost too much. There was no recovering at this point, no future.

He was about to make one last move, one last mission and he knew it would be his last. That fact in itself broke his heart because he simply had no other choice.

“Hey.” Naruto lightly touched his face and Kakashi’s eye drifted closed at the light touch. The familiar rough fingers against his exposed face was achingly familiar, those hands had touched him so many times and to know that they were about to make their last move really crushed him. “It’ll all work out in the end I promise.”

“I trust you.” Kakashi whispered. A light tug brought Naruto closer to him. He pulled Naruto close and buried his nose in the other man’s neck and inhaled his scent. The world was horrible and hopeless but he still had this, they both did and for however long he still had it he would soak it even, but his heart hurt.

A sad thing to think but he wished they had more time, but that was the point of his mission in the first place. It was the whole point, make sure that everyone got more time and that this world was cease to exist. “No matter what.” Naruto breathed as he desperately hugged Kakashi. The tight squeeze froze him until he returned the gesture his eyes burning. “I’ll always love you Kakashi.”

“Me too.” Kakashi said softly as they pulled back. He felt Sakura and Sasuke approaching and he knew that they had run out of time. “I’ll always love you Naruto.” Their kiss started gentle and it did not feel like a last kiss should. A soft press of lips with all their love poured out to the other. How he kept back his tears Kakashi guessed he would never know.

“Time to go.” Naruto said as he gently pulled away. Kakashi had a moment to watch his team face the approaching danger. “Kakashi… time to go.” How he desperately wished he was not the one to leave. To leave his team behind even though they had grown far stronger than him… he had never expected a situation like this.

“Let’s do this.” The seal spread across Sakura’s face and Sasuke slowly withdrew his sword. Kakashi bit his thumb and smeared the blood on the seal on his left wrist Naruto had taken his time to create. He watched the strong backs of his team, no longer the genins he had met so many years before. The last defence of the world. A world that was at its end. His heart was filled with pride even as it shattered in his chest and he made the seals to activate the seal.

His last sight was of Naruto, flanked by Sakura and Sasuke. Naruto’s back filled with strength and confidence. It would be the last time he saw it.

X

As a shinobi Kakashi had seen many things, his years as a student of the Fourth Hokage, actually just being around Minato-sensei and the man’s wife had lowered his sense of disbelief. Continuous exposure to Kushina had taught him many things people thought impossible were most likely possible.

Kakashi had witnessed the aftermath of failed jutsus that provided unbelievable results. There were many things that he deeply believed might be possible that he hoped greatly never would become possible.

But he knew how the world worked. He knew how people worked and he dedicated himself to his village and his orders. It was the day that Jiraiya-sama and Kushina had caused the huge uproar. Kakashi had considered a possibility and started a plan for himself.

Which was why when he came home after a long day of missions with his team to confront himself, all the traps disabled and redone, all he did was look at what appeared to be an older version of himself and pull out his book.

The older him on his bed snorted before he mimicked the exact same move… but the book was different and Kakashi felt his breath catch. “There was a new one?” He asked slowly.

“Jiraiya-sama never fails to disappoint.” The man laughed as he thumbed through the pages he paused to snort. “A few days after we met Kushina we accidentally saw more of her than was wise, no one ever heard about it.”

“That’s not true.” Kakashi said lightly. “We told someone.”

“No we didn’t, not a single soul we pretended it never happened.” Older him said and Kakashi nodded.

“So you are me.”

“I am you.”

“What’s happening?” Kakashi tried his best to guess the man’s age.

“Hell honestly.” The smile slipped from the man’s face. “I was sent back to warn you, guide you. For many reasons but the biggest one that you’ll make the right choice once you hear everything. Emotion won’t sway you. When it comes down to it…” The man hesitated before he roughly ran a hand through his hair. “Somethings need to remain the same, but other things shouldn’t. Some truths need to come to light.”

Kakashi nodded before he crossed the room. He joined his older self on the bed and they exchanged a long look and moment of silence. Studying each other before Kakashi nodded again. “Okay, tell me your story.”

X

Kakashi felt cold all over. It was hard for him to process everything, he had shrugged over most the information but it was difficult to shrug aside the information that Obito was alive, that Obito had been alive the entire time.

That Obito was working against Konoha and working alongside Madara. His older self had been quick to tell him Naruto had changed him and helped Obito realize that he was being manipulated by Madara but Kakashi was still stuck on the fact that Obito was alive.

He was alive and had not come home. He had killed Minato-sensei and was trying to destroy Konoha, destroy the entire world. There was no way he would be fine hearing about that sort of thing.

The schemes and people working behind the scenes his older self had talked about almost made his head spin. The entire thing about the Uchihas. The Hokage, Danzo. It just blew his mind as the story continued.

His older self painted a picture of a world that was honestly not that hard to imagine happening. Kakashi was aware of the darkness that could take hold of people. That it had taken hold of his team, of the entire world he was sad to hear it but he had known just as there was hope for things getting better there was the larger possibility of things getting worse for the shinobi world.

So as he took note of all the deaths his older self shared, took note of all the trials and triumphs he felt himself grow colder and colder. He brought up in his memories that time at the bridge whether he could have done something. Whether he should have somehow known Obito was still alive.

He lightly touched his covered eye and his hand shook as he thought about the other sharingan somewhere in the world, the other eye belonging to an Obito he no longer knew.

“What about Naruto?” Kakashi asked softly as he tried to brush away his darker thoughts. “What is he doing?”

“Good.” His older self smiled. “He’s become… well frankly he is unlike any other shinobi we have ever seen.”

At least something was good. Kakashi smiled at his other self and watched the distant lonely look in the other man’s eyes. “He must have grown up to become an incredible man.”

“He has, thanks to Jiraiya-sama and everyone he has met.” A soft chuckle. “And fought. Naruto’s become his own man, a strong one.” His older self looked at him then and it clicked for him. Kakashi recoiled in shock.

“You have got to be kidding.” He said softly.

“No I’m not.” His older self smiled. “Naruto and I, we are like _that_.” He playfully crossed his fingers but Kakashi was too busy gaping at him to do much else. “I know this might come as a shock considering who he is now.”

“It’s more than that.” Kakashi argued. He frowned before he continued. “He’s Sensei’s son for one, a member of our team for another and he literally just became a genin. He only had his first big mission a while ago and…” Kakashi trailed off as he thought about Naruto who had cried for their enemies and gritted his teeth as he glared at his older self. “Why? Dear god why?”

His older self considered his for a few moments before he chuckled. He leaned against Kakashi’s bedhead obviously thinking over his words before he spoke. “I know it is hard to think about now, that it is hard to see as he is now, as you are now but if things go correctly a day will come and how you look at him, how you think of him will change. It’s not now but he becomes one of the greatest friends you will ever have.”

“I can’t see it; I don’t believe it.” Kakashi frowned. His older self shrugged and Kakashi frowned again but the man ignored him. “It can’t happen, I just don’t see it, he’s just a brat, a loudmouthed brat.”

“He certainly is a loudmouthed one.” His older self chuckled. “But he is important to you, to everyone and the change he brings is one that is necessary. So save him and the future.”

“Obviously.” Kakashi mumbled. “You have any plans on how to go about this? Since I’m assuming we don’t want to mess up the timeline too much.”

“We don’t.” His older self hummed. “But there are some people you can take out until the time comes for the others to take over. We’re just buying time.”

“And saving people.” Kakashi sighed. “Let’s get started then.

X

“So until then we train?” Kakashi asked curiously. “We have all the evidence you are convinced we need and we’ve given the Hokage a headache that will last for the rest of his life… what now?”

“You guys move on.” His older self shrugged and Kakashi froze as the man’s shoulder’s shimmered. “You know the truth, now it is up to Naruto. Now you just manipulate from the side-lines and watch out it should play out correctly now. You should have bought enough time.” He glanced at his faded hand and Kakashi heard the sigh of relief his older self released. “This nightmare won’t happen. Now you guys have a proper chance.”

“We won’t waste it.” Kakashi promised as his older self brushed his hand against his wrist. The glove shifted and Kakashi had a glimpse of the Uzumaki swirl before the man disappeared. To him they had not done much but it seemed it was enough to wipe away the future him’s existence.

Since it was what the man wanted Kakashi did not feel sad, because he himself had experienced the feeling of being the last one from his team. The feeling he had battled against after Minato-sensei’s death. To have it repeated as he left his brand new team.

Watched them for the last time, left them to die, to face death as he travelled back years in order to try and change everything. He did not know how he could have done such a thing so easily. The other thing that could be examined later, he had something else to deal with.

X

He reopened his eyes and before he examined his surroundings his eyes were locked on the group waiting for him. Tired, bruised and even as he was happy to see them it broke his heart to see them, his wonderful; strong team.

“Hey there.” Naruto said softly as he stepped forward, the last image Kakashi had was of this man’s back, strong and brave as Kakashi set off on their hardest riskiest mission yet. To see him again even in such circumstances, he barely hesitated before he used his hand to cup Naruto’s cheek.

A smile slid across his face as he used his thumb to wipe away the tear from Naruto’s eye. “I did it.” He said softly.

“Obviously. Or else you wouldn’t be here.” Kakashi was surprised at the happy tone in Sasuke’s voice. “With you here that means something worked we just have to wait a bit more.”

“We didn’t even have to wait very long. Must be the first time you’ve never kept us waiting sensei.” Sakura teased and Kakashi smiled at the teasing woman she had become. “How about we find the others?”

“I’m glad you waited for me.” Kakashi confessed and Naruto scoffed. Naruto linked their fingers together and Kakashi smiled down at their linked hands before he glanced around. “Guess we should get going.”

“You’ve been here once before.” Naruto pointed out before he scanned the area. “But all roads lead to the end so let’s get going, no real rush for us really. Just us, team seven.”

“One last time?” Kakashi asked as he brought Naruto’s and his linked hands up to gently kiss them. “Sounds like a good idea. It is out of our hands from this point on.”

“It’s a weird plan.” Sasuke huffed as he took the lead, Sakura winked at him before she outpaced him to take the lead. Naruto chuckled low before he tugged Kakashi along. “Winning like this, losing but having the final say.”

“It’s so much like Naruto. Sore loser.” Sakura glanced back to say.

“Well…” Naruto chuckled as he shrugged. “It’s true, I hate to lose but in this we win and that’s what counts.” Kakashi smiled and squeezed Naruto’s hand gently. “Kakashi.” Naruto said softly, “I can’t wait to fall in love with you all over again.”

“Me neither.” Kakashi confessed as he leaned closer to Naruto. Their lips met and they ignored the huffs of impatience from Sakura and Sasuke. “I know it will be different but it will still be the same.”

“I can’t wait.” Naruto confessed and his smile was so huge it reminded Kakashi of years before when there was a village, simple days and goals. He smiled back in response as they continued to walk. It was a relief when the blinding light rushed towards them. Sharp and white it engulfed them and Kakashi smiled because they might have lost but in the end they had won, Team seven a bunch of sore losers.

X

His other self had left him with plenty of information and horrors. So many stories and hopes that no matter how he looked at it some of the future had ended up good. When Kakashi thought about it seriously he was at a loss of which sacrifice to make.

Obviously they had to remove the trump card. He had already done that. There would be no Madara, No Kaguya either. But he could not help but hope for his team. It scared him to hear about the plans everyone had for his team but he had grasped enough, learned enough that he could try his best.

His other self had not been skimpy with the details on anything. The sheer amount of information and plans had almost overwhelmed him. The aim in the end was victory but Kakashi wanted the deep bonds with his team that his older self had talked about. Losing Sasuke even for a while bothered him but when he thought about the benefits he thought it all over.

Currently there was no evidence but he knew enough that he knew he would have to move carefully regarding his student’s feelings.

His older self had already sacrificed everything. He did not want to sacrifice that. Granted, to hear Naruto had made plenty of bonds delighted him. Sakura’s development made him proud as well but he still could not see how he… how he and Naruto could have become that.

It made no sense. None at all.

X

He ended up talking to Sasuke in the end. After all he knew the truth so he had an idea of how to slowly soften Sasuke. Which led to their discussions as they watched the other two. Kakashi was still desperately trying to see what his older self had and kept failing. All he saw was his Sensei’s child.

A little small, lonely and determined. Kakashi was unable to figure it out and so he kept watching while he and Sasuke took the time to talk. It was not that hard to accept the venom from Sasuke’s words. It reminded him of previous people he had known.

Hell, it reminded him of the Third War and he told Sasuke that. He listened and spoke to Sasuke about loss and revenge. He answered Sasuke’s anger with simple truth. He thought of Rin and Obito. He spoke about Rin and guilt. He talked about death and killing, he talked about duty and strength.

He never spoke about the right or wrong of Itachi but instead he spoke of Rin and gradually the rage in Sasuke’s voice changed. It was more than he could have asked for so he was satisfied with that.

Their missions were full of training and advice as he kept a wary eye on their surroundings. It was hard to operate knowing what should happen. It made him nervous and paranoid but his team laboured and grew.

He noticed their full development on their third C-rank mission. They weren’t Chuunins but they were certainly more of a team than before. It showed in their movements and for Naruto… his back was straighter than Kakashi had ever seen.

X

He wanted them to grow so he had to let them face some the challenges, granted he did not want them to face all, or have them be unprepared. That was why he talked to them, he was fond of his team, he wanted to see them grow he wanted to hear their dreams.

He also knew their potential for being wild cards. He also knew their future possible strength. Just because they had went good once didn’t mean it would happen again. Sasuke’s defection was one of the bigger problems, unless he could spin it somehow.

Naruto on the other hand, he was already wise beyond his years. His circumstances gave him a deep look at the truth behind the normal world. The boy was already scarred. It had made Kakashi worry from the beginning.

It was hard not to be worried, Naruto tried, strived, how could he not worry about a wall appearing to trip up Naruto? So his gaze remained on Naruto and he used what opportunities he had to simply talk to Naruto.

Which sometimes led to lazy days, long talks just the two of them and it wasn’t until a few weeks that Kakashi found that he was doing it less to keep an eye on Naruto and more because he enjoyed the company.

He wanted to help his team, keep them from unnecessary pain but pain was the way of a shinobi’s life. Loss, duty. It went hand in hand. Sasuke and Naruto had already faced darkness but they shouldn’t have had to spend it alone.

Naruto beat him to it, a few seconds faster and Kakashi slowly released a breath when Sakura cried into Naruto’s jacket after the painful mission. Kakashi hugged them both after as Sasuke watched their surroundings.

X

He kept watching Naruto but he just didn’t see it. When Naruto joined Jiraiya on the trip out of Konoha he had not felt anything besides a bit of loss. He was lonely. Sakura was with Tsunade full time. Sasuke had gone undercover after his secret promotion and Kakashi was nervous about it still.

Yet when Naruto laughed and walked out the gates the most he could do was smile.

X

The strange feeling in his chest cleared up after all of them were knocked on their asses by Naruto’s new jutsu. He had been watching Naruto since the visitor but he had to admit he looked different when Kakashi stared at him.

Naruto looked different, no longer the sulky cute child but not a man either. There was just the hint of what was to come and Kakashi was shocked to find how much he was drawn to it. Everything that was Naruto, what Naruto could be, he saw it after Naruto had completed the jutsu.

He had not been lying about being surpassed, he had not lied about Naruto’s potential either, he was happy for it but Naruto’s eyes had shifted a bit with the completed jutsu and he had really understood who he was looking at. It was scary.

Somewhere along the line he had fallen hard. Kakashi was unsure of what he was supposed to do. He watched as Yamato fended off the celebrating Naruto, his gaze locked on the necklace that dangled around Naruto’s neck. He was unsure of what to do when he remembered that he had done all of that before.

There was no real rush. His older self had known exactly what would happen and he had gotten through it, gotten through it alive and intact. So there was no rush, he could wait, he could take his time and enjoy every moment.

X

“Naruto.” He said the moment Yamato disappeared. “What do you say about getting some ramen? I’ll pay.” Things would end up different to what his other self had experienced but he could enjoy whatever happened between himself and Naruto.

“Sensei paying?” Naruto snorted loudly before he turned towards the road that would take them towards the store. “This I have to see, why not?”


End file.
